Just A Character
by AxelCat
Summary: Darren breaks down after finishing the filming of 'The Break-Up.' Chris tries to help. Pre-CrissColfer and Klaine.


For the first time in a long time, they were shooting the last scene last. 'The Scientist' was quite possibly the most emotional number in the history of the show, and Ryan wanted the emotion in the lyrics to match the emotions of their faces, and in their bodies. He wanted everything to have built up. He wanted the cast to be tired, tired and hurting, and hurting because their _characters_ were hurting. Sadly for him, most of the cast had expected, and were used to this. They were professionals, it didn't work like that for them. They had learned not to let their characters get to them... well, as said, most of them did.

"Alright, that's it, guys and girls! That's a wrap!"

Darren froze. Chris could almost feel the tension radiating from his body as he fell to the ground. It was usual for Darren to just drop sometimes. He was living on five hours of sleep a night, but this felt different. As per usual, he pulled his phone out, ready to make some joking tweet or sarcastic email to his Starkids. This time, though, he just held the device. He didn't type anything, he just stared at the image of the cast, with _Kurt_ and _Blaine_ wrapped around each other.

Chris was a little concerned, so he sat down beside his friend. "Hey there."

"Hey, Chrissie," the elder man whispered back. The rest of the cast was clearing out quickly - it was late - very late, and most of them wanted nothing more than to get back to their trailers, or their homes, and sleep. Not Chris or Darren though.

"How are you going? Tired?"

Darren shook his head. "Not really..."

Chris looked around, as a force of habit, to make sure that none of the extras or crew were there. He trusted the main cast, but not so much those who had less to lose. He put a hand on Darren's back and rubbed it very gently. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not really..."

"Well, too bad, because I'm going to make you!" he said cheerily, moving in a bit closer and wrapping an arm around his friend. Darren tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a sob. "Come on, Dare... just talk to me. What's wrong?"

"It's really over, isn't it?" Darren asked in a choked-off whisper. Chris took a few long moments to process the information, then it dawned on him.

"It's not... honey, they're... what's that word? Oh screw it. Let's just say they're taking a break, okay? Blaine did something really stupid, but Kurt did something equally stupid... They just need time to sort themselves out on their own. Kurt was over-dependent on having a boyfriend, and on romance in general, and Blaine... well, Blaine... honey, your character was made up around mine. They're not individuals yet, and when they are... then maybe there'll be a second chance for them. But for now they need to move on with their lives-" Darren sniffled. "-and develop themselves. It's just Ryan's way of giving the fan-girls a chance to hate him even more, right?" Chris jostled his friend gently, drawing a short laugh from his lips, which, yet again, turned into a sob. "Why are you so upset?"

"I think I'm in love with Kurt just as much as Blaine is," he replied, just trying to laugh. "I got so invested in Blaine. Just like I did with Harry and Toby... and God... I'm so fucked."

"You know your language leaves a lot to the imagination," Chris teased, leaving Darren laughing through his sobs. "But... Darren, when I took an acting course, in... tenth grade, I took lessons to learn how to not let this shit happen. You need to learn to detach from your character, D..." He was scolding him, very, very gently.

"I can't do it, Chris! Blaine is _part of me_ and I can't just... let him go. I get devoted to a character to stay _in_ character. And... and I..." Chris pulled him a little closer, and ruffled some of the gel out of his hair. "Can I... I have a huge favour to ask..."

"Almost anything. I'm open to murder, robbery, and exploding the C.I.A. offices," Chris said enthusiastically.

Darren chuckled and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He didn't even bother swearing about how he had gotten foundation on his shirt. "Can you... do you have the thing that I do where you can just... become your character?"

"I think we all do, honey."

The last few people trickled off the stage to the wings.

"Then... can you become Kurt for me? Just for a minute?" Chris's eyes went wide, and doubts fluttered through his entire being. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and ignored the dryness in his mouth. He nodded. He closed his eyes, and reached deep inside into a world of coffee, music, fashion and _Blaine. Blaine, Blaine, Blaine._ He had meant it when he said that Kurt was made up of Blaine.

He looked up, and he didn't see Darren any more. He saw Blaine. Precious Blaine, with wide eyes and sorrow all around him. "I'm so sorry," the boy whispered. Chris and Kurt realized what he needed, and it was so simple, so obvious... yet so important.

"I forgive you," the combination of Chris and Kurt whispered back. The two pairs of people leaned in in unison, and their lips met, ever-so-gently in between them. It was chaste - chaste, but languid, full of hands touching faces and throats, just trying to keep contact in whatever way they could. Eventually, Blaine/Darren lowered his partner to the floor, so they were lying face to face. That was when the kiss broke, and their eyes opened once more.

_Chris_ and _Darren_ shared a the most gentle smile imaginable, and put their arms around each other.


End file.
